101 Essential Styling Tips

Envy the stylish settings you see on magazines, etc. and wondered what’s lacking in your home for that punch?
Found yourself with mismatched decorations again but you were sure it looked wonderful at shop ?

Style should not be confused with fashion in interiors and stylish room
does not just happen.
It is carefully researched, planned and assembled.
Snap out of the guessing and find the clues for that special touch
with our 101 essential styling tips.

Part 1 - Paints & Colors

1. Selecting colors from the color palette may be too confusing for some when it comes to matching them! A cue would be to choose similar color tones, shades and tints to blend the scheme. Restrict to one dominant color and up to three in a room.
2. Pale shades reflect lights and dark colors absorb. So, it is important to evaluate the size of the room and to access the source of natural light to avoid the squashy feeling in a small space.
3. As a rule of the thumb, always-select paints of a few shades lighter than your preferred choice on the color chart as it will appear a few shades darker when applied on the walls
4. Experimenting with colors by painting on sample boards first ( using sample tins applying double coats preferably ). Lean them against your walls and observe the visual perception when it changes with the night-lights and during the day.

5. Create splashes of color using cushions, rugs, vases, pictures, murals, etc. in a neutral scheme room.
6. Similarly, if you fancy collecting and displaying knick-knacks, avoid using strong colors on your walls. Especially if you have lots of shelves, use white or neutral colors for your walls.
7. Create a feature wall with multiple colors in lines, checkers or varying sizes of the same shape in different shades of a color ( be wary of bright colors which may be overpowering ).
8. Apply subtle difference ( s ) for more visual dimensions rather than stark contrasts which can appear overly distracting and jarring. Use curtains that are a few shades lighter than the sofa or create a feature wall using the same color as the other walls but of a darker shade.
9. If you do not want to highlight or bring too much focus on a particular subject – for example doors, stairways, etc. paint them to the same color as the surroundings. Vice versa, applying contrasting colors will make it the center of attraction.
10. Bold paint colors can creatively cheer up a setting when applied in small, doors, pillars or beams.

11. Horizontal lines make a wall visually broader. Small motifs will make the surface seems to recede, making the room appear further while vertical lines and larger motifs present the opposite effects.
12. Color choices should reflect the function of the room. Generally, vibrant and bright colors are to be avoided for bedrooms, which is a place for soothing shades that calms the nerves. Adventurous fresh colors like blue, yellow, green may be used in the bathrooms for novelty.
13. Who says you must forgo reds? Pick a wall in your house and paint it red, chocolate or magenta or sea blue or any color of your passion! If the result is not promising, just simply repaint it!
14. Attempt a strong color for your ceilings only if your ceiling is high and receives good day light! By using colors lighter than your walls for your ceilings, you can achieve a taller and spacious appeal and avoid using the same color as your walls ( except for all white scheme ) on the ceiling for more dimensions and visual aesthetics.
15. For the kitchens and bathrooms, gloss and semi-gloss paints are alternatives to wall tiles, which ensure wash ability as compared to satin paints.
16. If you have many PVC trunkings or pillars running across your walls and ceilings or minor construction defects like uneven joint works, cover-up with special paint effects which can help to distract the focus.
17. Still unsure about what colors to match? Checkout the paint stores for color swatches or try out computer color matching for the perfect combinations at color wheel. Colors along side each other on the color wheel work well to gather whereas colors on the opposites are dramatic contrasts.